Encountering Love
by escapistone
Summary: An AU mushy and sarcastic first meeting of Elrond & Celebrian


Tolkien, his estate, New Line Cinema, etc, own. Me no own. Me no make money. Me do this as fun. 

Everyone has to do their first "Meeting of  Elrond and Celebrian fic" so, here is mine. I basically took Celebrian and sort of placed her as a young adult. Somewhere in the equivalent 18-21 years range for an elf. 

Try to picture her in that way, otherwise, she turns out a bit too whiny.

Oh yes, AU as in Alternate universe. Don't go looking for Tolkien-esque writing here. I'm being irreverent and slightly silly.

Thanks to Losseniaiel for proofing and giving me a few phrases for supplementation. (All mistakes are mine for I have tweaked this after it was proof read)

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"Must I go? Is there not some other business that needs my attention? Here? At home? Where there are actual trees to speak of?" Celebrían's face tried its best to look mature, though the distinct whine in her voice showed her true petulance.

Galadriel smiled fondly at her daughter, "Is there a reason why you do not wish to go to Imladris?"

"It is not home. Besides, it is run by Lord Elrond," Celebrían sulked slightly as she perched upon the edge of her bed.

"And what, pray tell, is so horrible about Lord Elrond?"

"He is friends with Glorfindel."

"Indeed?"

"Mother, I fail to see how wonderful a person he could be when such close friends with such a…a scoundrel as Lord Glorfindel."

"Celebrían, being friends with someone does not make you exactly like that person."

"Well, Lord Elrond is a man." 

"He is only part Man. He is quite Elven, I assure you."

"That not what I meant! I meant he is male. He has something between his legs that I do not. Besides, it matters not whether he is Man, Elf, or even Dwarf when he chooses to keep such company."

Galadriel hid her smile by quickly turning towards her daughter's carry bag.  "Comments like that are exactly why Glorfindel teases you so. He cannot help himself when presented with such a ripe opportunity. He is…male, and a terrible tease at that."

"See, even you agree that the opposite gender is deplorable. I have no doubt that Imladris is very manly. He probably has antlers dripping out of the hearths and animal skins lying wantonly about. That is, of course, if they make it to the floor instead of being turned into some barbaric form of clothing."

"Celebrían, Lord Elrond is a warrior and a leader. I've never heard him referred to as a savage."

"He is still a male, and…"

"And a friend of Glorfindel, whom you cannot bear because he makes sport of you. I know, I know. But, going to Imladris will give you exposure to other Elves that you've not met before. You are an adult now, Celebrían. You cannot hide yourself away forever. Besides, your adar wishes company on this trip. Are you going to ignore his request?"

Celebrían sighed, "I do not wish to disappoint him. I just do not wish to listen to countless hours of war strategies and hunting."

Galadriel laughed, "Imladris is not solely populated by males, you know. I am certain you will be pleasantly diverted without resorting to discussions of how to best gut a freshly slain deer."

"What if you are wrong?"

"I am never wrong, dear one. Just ask your father."

 Celebrían forced a frown around her smile, "Sure, rub it in that you managed to find the one male that is actually worth anything. "

Galadriel smiled, "I did not find him. I made him. Despite what you may hear, any wife has to deal with her husband's inherent bachelor-ness. Even those among the race of Elves. I will not lie to you and say that their kind are easy to deal with, but they are a necessity."

"Why are they a necessity? It is not as if we are human. We do not die off. We do not _need_ to procreate."

"Celebrían, is there a particular reason that you are so animatedly against half of the Elven race today?"

"No, it is just that, I find that… never mind. I suppose that I am not as 'adult' as I thought I was."

Galadriel tugged gently on the ends of Celebrían's silver hair, "You are a _young_ adult. I do not expect you to have the wisdom of those hundred of years older than you. Your wisdom is great compared to that of mortals perhaps, but you are still young in our eyes. Do not fret so."

 Celebrían smiled slightly, "So how does one go about gutting a deer, Mother?"

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Celeborn grinned as Celebrían rode beside him on their trip to Imladris. It was good that the roads were finally clear enough of troubles that he could allow such precious cargo to travel along them. It had pained Celeborn that he could not show off his daughter as much as wished to when she was younger. But she had to be kept safe, and her home was where she was the safest. 

It was good to finally be able to share his little girl with others.

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Elrond straightened his robe and looked quickly out the window.

Glorfindel laughed behind him, "I do not know why you are so worried. The roads are muddy, you know this yourself. It slows travel. They will be here."

Elrond shook his head, "It is not like Celeborn to be late."

Glorfindel smiled, "Yes, well, Celeborn is not about to be hurrying with his little princess in tow."

Elrond shook his head, "You take utter delight in tormenting that poor child."

"Poor child nothing, that Elf is nearly as feisty as her mother when provoked. You have not met her. The child needs someone to torment her. I have the feeling she is moody otherwise. Probably sulks and writes poetry and tells tales…"

Elrond raised an eyebrow, "There is something wrong with telling stories?"

"Well, not stories, of course. It is a fine Elven tradition, but you, bah, you know what I mean."

Elrond shook his head, "I know what you mean. I simply do not see why you think that it is a bad thing to be introspective. I find that contemplating deeper meanings is key to the success of one's life."

Glorfindel took his turn to raise his eyebrow, "Yes, well I suppose you would know. Having been one to write large tomes about anything and everything."

Elrond laughed, "I do not understand how you can spin such marvelous tales while singing and then mock me for writing."

"Because singing is singing, my friend. It is not hiding away where others cannot see you. There is life to be enjoyed outside of your books and your government."

"Oh, and teasing the child of a very powerful Elf is living? I thought it was a misguided attempt to visit the Halls of Mandos, once again."

Glorfindel snorted, "She is a child. Neither Galadriel nor Celeborn will harm me for some teasing. I need not fear seeing Mandos's face again unless I dare to flirt with the girl."

The clatter of horses' hooves preempted any reply that Elrond may have made. A quick glance out of the window showed that the party from Lothlórien had indeed arrived.

Elrond smiled, "Well then, I believe it is time that I met this child that you so love to torment."

Glorfindel nodded his assent, and the two elf lords strolled towards the stables. Normally, they would meet the riding party at the gates, but it was raining out and the travelers were already heading towards the stables so they could get out of the weather as quickly as possible.

As Elrond came through the door to the stables, he stopped immediately in his tracks, before him stood an absolute vision. 

Silver hair flowed down the lady's back. It moved like a river as she impatiently tried to shake the mud from her skirts. Her face was wearing a most becoming frown and her eyes narrowed significantly into a glare pointed in Elrond's direction. A most becoming flush rose up into her face and her nose wrinkled with displeasure. She said something. Elrond was not sure what it was, but he knew that her voice would vie with all the choruses of spring for loveliness.

Then, his pleasant dream world was annoyingly interrupted by Glorfindel's voice.

"Why Celebrían, I did not know that wearing your hair in that particularly snarled manner was an acceptable form of styling. Do tell me how you came to approximate a bird's nest."

Elrond's mouth bobbed open and closed for a few moments as he tried to digest that Glorfindel was indeed mocking the paragon of beauty that stood before him. Unfortunately, the most coherent thing that came from his mouth was a highly sophisticated croak. Not even was it a dignified "huh?" No, it was a highly shortened version of the sound a door with rusty hinges makes when one pushes it open.

Celebrían, to Elrond's misfortune, seemed to take this as another insult to her character. 

She immediately focused her attention on Elrond and eyed him thoroughly. Deciding he was a friend of Glorfindel, she decided to show how improved her verbal sparring skills had become since last she had seen the golden-haired Elf.

 "Who is this then, Lord Glorfindel? A slightly dull-witted Elf who has the misfortune to be assigned to follow you around?"

So taken) was Elrond by Celebrían, that it took him a few seconds before he realized she was speaking at him. It took him a few more seconds to realize that she had insulted him. By that time, the whole stable had grown quiet and was alternatingly looking at either Celebrían or Elrond.

Celeborn politely coughed, "Celebrían, dear, I do not believe you have met Lord Elrond."

Celebrían's eyes widened and her blush became even deeper as she realized her mistake. Unfortunately for Elrond, the sight of her eyes wide open caused his brain to slide out of the modicum of lucidity he had regained from her insult right back into a slightly hormonal stupor. Thus he did not hear her rushed apologies, nor did he notice the fact that his lips were starting to quirk up into a stupid, love-sick smile.

What he did notice was that after a short period of time, there seemed to be no-one talking and a great deal of staring going on. Realizing that it must mean he was required to do something, he feebly welcomed the travelers and motioned them towards his house, and instructed them as to where their rooms were.

With a conscious decision, he managed to walk into his home so that he had a lovely view of Celebrían as she walked. It saddened him, therefore, when his chosen view was ended by the closing of a door as Celebrían entered the chambers that were given to her.

Without his lady to distract him, Elrond was brought back to reality. Glorfindel stood beside him with a content grin on his face.

"Did I not tell you that she was fun to torment? Tell, me, what do you think of Celeborn's daughter? Naïve isn't she? Rather gullible and unassuming, much too sheltered."

Elrond frowned, "I noticed nothing of the sort."

Glorfindel cocked his head to one side, "Then tell me, what did you notice?"

Elrond's lips tugged back into their dreamy smile, "That she is the most gorgeous creature I have ever met," Hazy grey eyes half-focused onto Glorfindel, "My dear friend, I think I am in love."


End file.
